Death of a Candle
by lost-katana
Summary: Life can be extinguished so quickly, just like the flame of a candle. On the battlefield, watch to see that it doesn't go out.


Hi there! Pi90katana, reporting for duty- no matter how sick I've become once again. That's right- I recovered from tonsillitis and strep… only to get a UTI and one week later- tonsillitis again! (slams head into wall)

Anyways, the other night, I was thinking of this cool scene in this awesome FanFic by Nekotsuki called _Underdark_ (easily one of the best stories of the year). In the background somewhere, there's a detail about candles. Well, my silly little mind jumped off of that and started thinking about Leo and candles, then some of those parts you see in the new cartoon where he's training with them. After _that_ I began thinking about how people often relate a single flame to life and death. And so… this came along. At first it was going to be a one-shot, but I had nowhere to go with it, so it quickly became a poem.

Yeah- I know what you're thinking. It happens to me all the time, as you must know if you've read _What Never Happened _and/or _Moonlight and Sonshine_. Enter the world of Pi90katana.

Anyways, this poem is designed to be from Leo's POV- don't know who the villain is. You may recognize the writing style- I read a poem by Robert Frost recently and I thought I'd try my hand at a different form.

I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my TMNT merchandise, which is constantly abused by my siblings in my absence. Even the air I breathe is being charged.

&&&&&

In the darkness of the battleground you see it waver  
Predicting an outcome that both sides fear and savor  
Fragile and weakened by a single gust  
And here it is that he entreats it for its favor

He lead this battle because he simply must  
His enemies have to be ground into the dust  
He has no other option than play in this game  
Rush ahead, block, slice, and thrust

Blood has been shed but this is why he came  
To protect his own without feeling shame  
Their opponents' assaults have wounded them deep  
He'll need support if he is to defend this flame

Drop down low and with one leg sweep  
These are the commands and he will keep  
Beware of shadows moving too fast  
Draw out a second blade and leap

The solitary flame will single out the shadows cast  
He will no longer fall for the trickery of the past  
No deals or allowances will he offer and make  
When death is the price for finishing last

He follows through on every opening he can take;  
Fights on harder when his swords break  
He's given hell and imparts it back  
A warrior who won't let up with so much at stake

With another sword on and on passes each attack  
Beaten with every step taken on this track  
There's the hiss of metal and blood flows  
Yet there remains the shimmer within the black

It urges him onward with its swaying glow  
As long as it's lit he'll face his foe  
Beyond fatigue and a moon that's red in his sight  
A figure rises to strike harder with every blow

Until just two remain in the blood of the night;  
Wounded with the lone remedy as the close of this fight  
All that stands behind them is the skills that they've sewn  
And the curiosity of for whom there belongs that light

The final battle and they're on their own  
All we know is for a time that candle shone  
With every critical hit and every cry  
It goes on and the outcome remains unknown

Up till the point that fate sings its lullaby  
And here the one rests and the warrior lies  
Turn now and see the sharp flicker of the candle!  
With no turning back he knows that one or both of them must die

But allow him to please rise and vanquish this vandal;  
To protect his family with these swords that he handles  
Be it he die many years from now- the death of a candle  
Or be it he perish here this night- the death of a candle

&&&&&

(is curious) So… what's the verdict on this different style? I don't plan on writing another like it; 'tis difficult, but what did you think?

If you didn't notice, one of the cool things about this is that the third line in each stanza, which doesn't keep with the rhyming pattern of the staff, becomes the new one in the next verse every time until the end. That's what I thought was cool about it. Admittedly, Robert Frost was able to make his flow better.

Anyways, I hope you at least enjoyed it. Please leave me a review!


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